Sheesh!

I'm over it! Why does good news always get squished under bad news?

Was there really such stupidity? Is it provable?

Get on with it Vlad. Over and done with. Had enough.

Weren't we punished enough that we got Skunky?

Time to pay the ferryman and get to the other side of this one.

I dont think shes a messenger...more a beligerant hypocritical instigator

What for doing her job and exposing us for the fools we clearly are. Connolly.....Oh my lord!!

The AFL has been investigating this for months, and I do expect findings to be released well before the draft. Can you point me to any rule that gives Melbourne the right to prepare a defence? I doubt they have such a right. As far as a punishment is concerned, the AFL has probably already decided one.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want anything like this to happen, but be assured that the AFL wants this whole matter resolved quickly.

Are you kidding?

It's already been referred to on this thread. It's called natural justice. It give the accused in any situation a right to provide a defence. It's not at the AFL's discretion.

I dont care how many players come out and say they felt sick for Bails and could see what was going on - unless Bailey or anyone else in command told the players not to perform then thats about as relevant as me seeing what was going on from the stands and feeling sick for Bails.

However if there is a folder with papers inside from the footy department titled - " how we are going to lose football games to get draft picks" that the AFL now has, then I am worried. I still maintain that there is going to have to be concrete testimony from the FD people saying " we formulated a plan to lose matches and acted on it" before we are in trouble.

Why I am feeling a little quezy is that the papers seem to be indicating that is indeed the case - I do not believe everything I read however that doesnt stop what I read making me feel nervous.

If Bailey was asked to tank and he had any balls or any integrity he would have told the Board to [censored] off, if they didn't ask him too then there's no problem.

On the other hand if he was asked to and he did, then why would the players feel sick for him, it would have been his decision and he would have compromised himself?

Surely he had the opportunity to implement or not implement the Board's request, if they made it and that would have rested with is conscience, so I don't like the way he has come out after the fact and cried about being a victim in all this.

There are several players in this saga that have made careless statements that could potentially ruin the lives of quite a few involved in the industry. One may be a self inflicted wound; Bailey.

The reporting seems to be changing the story every each snippett that gets released. The same journalsist has now stated that the "secret" meeting is now revealed began as a a match committee meeting, hardly a secret. Code named the "Vault" which is the name of the shed that all meetings were held in. The meeting was attended by up to 10..now at least 15 people.

Tomorrow she will announced that Jordon McMahon was at the meeting and handed the script on his role in the next weeks match.

Gutter journalism.

It's starting to make the News of the World look like a paper of absolute integrity. That said, did you believe everything they published?

Grubby journos manipulate the 'truth' to create sensationalist 'stories'. Surely everyone knows that by now.

Keep calm team. Get behind the club - don't turn on it.

Rather, vent your anger on 'Burnouts' McLean ...

I love that Melbourne supporters cheering McMahon's goal (fortunately I was just off camera celebrating wildly) was cited in Wilson's article as some sort of support for her case that Melbourne was involved in a wacky global conspiracy.

I love that Melbourne supporters cheering McMahon's goal (fortunately I was just off camera celebrating wildly) was cited in Wilson's article as some sort of support for her case that Melbourne was involved in a wacky global conspiracy.

We are due for Caro's next installment where it will say that all the members were all in "the Vault" when the meeting took place.

We are due for Caro's next installment where it will say that all the members were all in "the Vault" when the meeting took place.

Better still, just wait until Demonland gets a mention as evidence.

I felt sick this morning, I feel slightly less suck now, hopefully the trend continues.

I am wary of showing any allegiance to Eddie. Unblemished history of doing things in his own club's interest. His comments, while flattering, still infer that the club took advantage of the system to gain a priority pick.

He's essentially saying, "sure, they're guilty, but can ya blame em?"

I doubt Vlad would look kindly on such a defence.

No allegiance, but if this crap makes for strange bedfellows then we should at least bring our PJs

Are you kidding?

It's already been referred to on this thread. It's called natural justice. It give the accused in any situation a right to provide a defence. It's not at the AFL's discretion.

The AFL isn't bound by the rules of natural justice, sorry.

They can't do whatever they like.

Are you kidding?

It's already been referred to on this thread. It's called natural justice. It give the accused in any situation a right to provide a defence. It's not at the AFL's discretion.

Ie, we are not 'the accused'. They can investigate, make a finding, hand down a punishment and move on.

My final comment - why in 33 pages is there so much acceptance of the purported facts here?

Just because it is reported, doesn't make it true.

We are all raving about like mad chickens, on the assumption that was is being put around is in fact correct.

Hold your horses, people.

Actually, one more comment.

It is RIDICULOUS that this story is the focus of the football news this week, being the same week in which Adelaide actually admitted blatant, flagrant cheating of very clear, certain rules.

Conspiracy, anyone?

Hold your horses, people.

Ain't that the truth..

The AFL isn't bound by the rules of natural justice, sorry.

They can't do whatever they like.

Sorry, that is is absolute rubbish. Of course they can't do whatever they like. They could try but they, like any other organisation are required to operate within a raft of industrial, civil and legal frameworks. If they sanctioned melbourne and we sued them they would have to demonstrate their actions were reasonable

What for doing her job and exposing us for the fools we clearly are. Connolly.....Oh my lord!!

I have no issue or problem with real journalism.

Here she isnt even checking her facts. Shes offering up innuendo and gutter whispers as supposed fact. She is morphing her words to suit.

Shes very selective about who and what she writes upon in this matter and is hardly presenting anything in a balanced and integral fashion.

Shes agenda driven and not motivated by any desire to show the truth, indeed she goes out of her way to camouflage the little truth she presents in order to sensationalise the dross she dresses up as gospel.

Maybe that is her job. I dont care for it.

Compare her to a Martin Flanagan...well actually you cant !!

Actually, one more comment.

It is RIDICULOUS that this story is the focus of the football news this week, being the same week in which Adelaide actually admitted blatant, flagrant cheating of very clear, certain rules.

Conspiracy, anyone?

careful... suggest conspiracy or combined agendas and you'll be ridiculed

Anyone that feels any sympathy for Bailey has got rocks in their head. I was unashamedly in favour of tanking to give this club a leg up and a chance of serious success down the track, but Bailey's efforts made the Keystone Cops look like Downtown Abbey. When you're tanking you let Travis Johnstone rack up 42 disposals, or you take off Fev for a massage when he's getting on a roll, or you don't play a loose man in defence to intercept every errant kick, but you don't play Paul Johnson in a back pocket on Nathan Brown, or put Frawley to FF, turn Miller in a midfielder, or Newton into a wingman, etc. etc.

I didn't want to win more than 4 games of footy that year, but I accept that there's only so much you can do in order to lose while trying to keep up some semblance of appearances in a professional competition. Irrespective of what he may have thought the club's endeavours were he has brought much of this heat on himself and the club due to his farcical actions.

Are you kidding?

It's already been referred to on this thread. It's called natural justice. It give the accused in any situation a right to provide a defence. It's not at the AFL's discretion.

Since when is the AFL compelled to comply with natural justice principals? That's why I asked for a source for the claim that the club would get the opportunity to prepare a defence. The investigation concludes, a report goes to the AFL. Action taken.

Sure, the club could go to the courts. This is what Melbourne Storm supporters demanded. Fortunately that didn't happen and that club emerged stronger.

I don't want the club punished, but if it is, suck it up and move on. Taking the AFL to court would be extremely silly, and bound to fail in the end.

Sorry, that is is absolute rubbish. Of course they can't do whatever they like. They could try but they, like any other organisation are required to operate within to a raft of industrial, civil and legal frameworks. If they sanctioned melbourne and we sued them they would have to demonstrate their actions were reasonable

That's correct, the Board have an obligation to protect the assets of the members and its sponsors and if the AFL threaten to strip the club of its assets they must do all in their power to stop them, especially if it is illegal to do so. We are a business and the AFL can't just arbitrarily penalise us.

Anyone that feels any sympathy for Bailey has got rocks in their head. I was unashamedly in favour of tanking to give this club a leg up and a chance of serious success down the track, but Bailey's efforts made the Keystone Cops look like Downtown Abbey. When you're tanking you let Travis Johnstone rack up 42 disposals, or you take off Fev for a massage when he's getting on a roll, or you don't play a loose man in defence to intercept every errant kick, but you don't play Paul Johnson in a back pocket on Nathan Brown, or put Frawley to FF, turn Miller in a midfielder, or Newton into a wingman, etc. etc.

I didn't want to win more than 4 games of footy that year, but I accept that there's only so much you can do in order to lose while trying to keep up some semblance of appearances in a professional competition. Irrespective of what he may have thought the club's endeavours were he has brought much of this heat on himself and the club due to his farcical actions.

Farcical is telling 10 people at the club to tank ala Connolly and Schwab. Farcical is undermining a paid employee. Farcical was the lead up and post Geelong debacle.Farcical is the AFL's handling of the whole issue.

Bailey was told to lose. He did it. Complaining how he lost it hardly seems fair.and reasonable.

P.S That's alot of farcical's but it's Melbourne we're talking about.

Since when is the AFL compelled to comply with natural justice principals? That's why I asked for a source for the claim that the club would get the opportunity to prepare a defence. The investigation concludes, a report goes to the AFL. Action taken.

Sure, the club could go to the courts. This is what Melbourne Storm supporters demanded. Fortunately that didn't happen and that club emerged stronger.

I don't want the club punished, but if it is, suck it up and move on. Taking the AFL to court would be extremely silly, and bound to fail in the end.

not if we had a top barrister. The accusations are full of grey areas.

I would be appalled if we the MFC just rolled over.

Since when is the AFL compelled to comply with natural justice principals? That's why I asked for a source for the claim that the club would get the opportunity to prepare a defence. The investigation concludes, a report goes to the AFL. Action taken.

Sure, the club could go to the courts. This is what Melbourne Storm supporters demanded. Fortunately that didn't happen and that club emerged stronger.

I don't want the club punished, but if it is, suck it up and move on. Taking the AFL to court would be extremely silly, and bound to fail in the end.

Try this, for one: http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150497/default.aspx

They're already talking about MFC appearing before a commission. That's called natural justice.

And as for the stupidity above about us not being the accused, I won't even bother.

Farcical is telling 10 people at the club to tank ala Connolly and Schwab. Farcical is undermining a paid employee. Farcical was the lead up and post Geelong debacle.Farcical is the AFL's handling of the whole issue.

Bailey was told to lose. He did it. Complaining how he lost it hardly seems fair.and reasonable.

Who is disputing the other matters you refer too ? I don't recall commenting on those.

The bolded line is subject to a current investigation and certainly not conclusive. But accepting what you say is true doesn't make his efforts any less ridiculous in any way.

Farcical.